Weekend Photos & Workshop Input

For the past I think I'd like to see pockets and other ideas on how to incorporate papers/records that come with genealogy. For the present incorporating different sizes and simple elements to answer questions about what if happening right now in our lives. Maybe along the lines of how has the current economy changed our lives, recycling, growing veggies, biking places, staycations, game/movie night at home, etc. As for myself, that's harder. I think a focus really on me and then smaller branches off to husband/children/family, focusing on the story and keeping the pages very simple. Hope this helps. Can't wait to take the class. By the way, tell Simon Fire works make me happy too!

Hi Ali! After taking a CKU class from you a couple of years ago and seeing how easy you make doing so many things I cannot wait to join you on this upcoming3-month journey.
I for one haven't attempted to scrapbook anything from my past. I have pictures and have access to thousands more but just haven't done it yet. Some stories that could be told are not always the easiest to tell, and even current family issues are not making the page.
I know that anything you have to teach will be great and I look forward to being you student again. Thanks.

wow! i didn't know you were in eugene! will you be having any workshops there in august?

I am taking my first BPS class right now and I was talking to my husband about wanting to take another one already - well now I know what I'll be taking next :)
I have a lot of old photos of loved ones who have passed away and I'm nervous about how to approach these photos and the stories that go with them. I want to make sure I get my grandparents and cousins in my albums and get those relationships and stories told so I would love to get some guidance towards doing that.

Honestly I am sorta scrapped out on the tradional pictures of the family and such. I am always looking for new ways to scrap about myself because I really want for my kids and grandkids and such to know who I was, who I am, and who I might become.
Music is and has always been important to me and I am looking for a way to create a scrapbook all about it. The songs of my past and my favorites of today, not just the song title and lyrics though, but why I like them and what the song says to me. I have always found it interesting why some people prefer one artist or song over another. So that is a workshop that I would be interesting in taking, how music and songs speak to us and impact our lives.

I've been waiting for your class for ages now and will 100% for sure sign up as soon as it's live :)
My request for the class would not so much be for a specific subject but rather for a good "scrapping mood". I'd love for you to go through some of the "there are no mistakes/embrace imperfection etc" - mentality that you speak of in "Life Artist". I really love this book and would so love it if you could bring up a bit (a lot!) about this during the class. Thanks so much even for considering this :)

As far as scrapbooking your past, I would like to see something on divided families. My parents divorced when I was 13- so I have a ton of photos of our entire family before the divorce. How do I scrap those? Everything wasn't great, so I don't want to make a book where everything looks perfect, but I also don't want to make a book that comes across as sad or depressing. This is where I struggle the most! So I have not touched any of the pictures. When I have children though, I would like them to see me, my brother & sister, and our parents as we once were. Any ideas?
Also, I just got your mini-books book for my birthday! What an excellent book! I love all of the ideas

What would you like to learn about scrapbooking your past?
I struggle with telling the not so great life stories too. I would like to document these things because they are an important part of who I am even though I may not share them with anyone. I think hidden journaling will be a big part of some pages for me. And unlike so many people that are overwhelmed with old pictures and memorabilia from childhood, I have very little.
What would you like to learn about scrapbooking your present?
I would like to document the difference between how I thought my life would be and how it has become. I am happy, content and at peace now. And I have finally stopped waiting for the bottom to fall out.

although i'd like to be caught up to scrap the present ( and i should jsut probaly start now before it becomes a 'past')
i'd like to know how to scrap my past better.
thanks ali
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This sounds exciting Ali. Scrapbooking about my childhood is something I really want to do. My problem is I have very few (no?!) photos of those years. I have done a few pages without photos before, and I was happy with those, but the thought of scrapbooking an entire childhood without photos is a little daunting.

I think it would be interesting to create a scrapbook around older pictures leaving a pocket or place to journal what you thought when the picture was taken, then what you think when you look at the picture today and leave a card or place to journal in the future. For example: If I took a picture of a gathering on the fourth of July in 2000 I may have been focused on the event. 9 years later (today) I may realize how much of a tradition that event had become and how important it became to my children. 10 years from now (Future) I may reflect and add a note about how my children have grown, how the body I had then I hated so much, but now look at and think, "I didn't look so bad!", etc. Does that make sense?
In essence, I have been wanting to set up a book that captures everyday life that I can reflect on and add to in the future.

How funny is it that my daughter fell asleep during the fireworks too! She is 4. Daddy covered her ears because she didn't like the loud noise and out she went after a long day of swimming and playing with no nap!
Ali, I'm really looking forward to your class!
For the PAST and ME....I'm in need of an outline....or a timeline (know you love them!) to be able to document and tell my story. I need a framework of what is important in our past to document...questions and topics that will spur my memory and remind me of something I need to share.
Could also be an idea for a new DIGITAL ALBUM for you to put together for Designer Digitals! Lauri in the first post has a wonderful idea....being able to document our life experiences in a way for our children and grandchildren to learn from them.
I'd also like to start working on my Mom's old photos....scanning those that are important to me/spur a memory and then tying them into stories of today..like Stacy Julian's category drawers where I can tell stories from photos across decades...traditions, hobbies, etc...
My PRESENT....where we are all at in our lives...what is important to us right now, what we think about, how our current world is impacting our lives and thoughts and decisions we make.

The past: dealing with issues related to "the good, the bad and the ugly" that happen in our family histories; some organization suggestions that are flexible and adaptable; journaling prompts; suggestions for how to include "everyday life" details from long ago that weren't documented at the time.
The present: how to keep up with it while working full time and still enjoying time together with my family.
Myself: how to document without trying to turn the scrapbook into a personal journal.

Not a comment about the class but about running the 10K next year, do it! I was a runner in high school and then stopped, it had been almost 20 years since I last ran any distance. I started up in January and on the 4th I completed a 15K. The feeling I got when I finished is hard to describe but I will when I scrapbook the pictures my family took.

Fireworks make me happy too!!! As far as your class goes my past is the section I am most tentative about. My parents took tons of photos (which all have that yellow/orange tint to them) and saved tons of realia (which has also aged.) I don't really want to scan thousands of photos and do photo correction, but I don't want to be limited by that yellowy color scheme. Also how can I save all this realia when I don't know the full stories behind them. Save asking my Mom to make this album, how can I be sure I get the right story?? I took a Christmas class which asked us to make pages everyday and I don't know about you but with kids this is an impossibility! I hope that your class will have more flexibility :) Thanks for letting us share our thoughts!

Hey Ali, thanks for the chance for input! I would love to see unique ideas for scrapbooking myself without great photos of myself! I don't have many to choose from, and the ones I do have are usually event-related, not just general shots of me. So ideas with no photos or creative photos, etc., would be great. Also, I don't have a lot of photos of my childhood (I can count the number on one hand not counting school-year photos), but would love to scrap those stories as well. Again, I'd love to see pages/ideas that don't use any photos. Thanks! Can't wait to learn more about your class! :o)

I would like to read/hear more about scrapbooking the everyday! i dont' have children (don't intend to) and feel like i don't have much to scrapbook unless i am doing something BIG (trip, family gathering, etc). i need ways to see the moments. hope that makes sense. when does registration start? thanks! you are so inspiring!

Past-First of all, where to start? Second, what to scrap? How do I decide what I should include or not? Otherwise I feel it is too overwhelming to bother with.
Present-I feel ok with this part of things.
Myself-I am pretty good about scrapping me things. But, maybe a few new ideas would be fun.
Thanks Ali!

I would love really good advice on scrapbooking heritage photos. It's the project I have that I just can't seem to get started on!
Rinda
p.s. your photos are great. Your two kids seem to have the same adorable, crooked smile and Simon is looking so much like Chris. Thanks for the window into your world.

I want to experience how to simplify my lo. Show the photo, say what NEEDS to be said, and cut down on the embellies that I seem to think are so necessary. That's what I love about the look of your los. They do not need a lot of "stuff" to make the point.